Fleet Management

70 MPH Speed Limit Taking Effect in Illinois

The Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois Tollway have announced the locations where Interstate speed limits will increase from 65 to 70 miles-per-hour for both trucks and four-wheelers, following a new law that took effect the first of 2014.

Legislation signed into law in August increased the maximum speed limit on Illinois Interstates from 65 to 70 mph, where deemed reasonable and safe, outside the Chicago metro area.

“Illinois Department of Transportation crews will begin to remove the old 65 mph signs and install the new 70 mph signs in the designated areas early January to comply with the new law,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider.

Once all of the new signs are in place approximately 87% of Interstate highways and 98% of rural Interstates under IDOT’s jurisdiction will be increased to 70 mph.

Approximately 28% of the Illinois Tollway’s 286-mile system will be increased to 70 mph.

New speed limit signs have been distributed throughout the state and will be installed through Jan. 17, weather permitting.

The higher speed limit is in effect only in areas where the new signs have been installed.

For the Illinois Tollway, new 70 mph signs will be installed between Jan. 7 and Jan. 14, weather permitting, on a 64-mile segment of the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) and on a 15-mile portion of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90).

The new law includes an additional safety provision, which lowers the limit by five mph at which drivers may be charged by law enforcement with excessive speeding. Currently, the threshold for penalties is 31 mph over the limit. The new law lowers that threshold to 26 mph over the limit.